“Do I go to the doctor or do I put food on the table or do I get my rent in on time? These are real issues for people who are living on low incomes,” he said.

NT Foodbank recorded its highest level of demand last month.

“People are feeling it hard,” volunteer John Stokes said.

“Three weeks ago we had our best week ever. There’s lots of people out there hungry.”

NT Foodbank supplies food to 170 charity organisations across the NT.

Rent in Darwin has risen by 4.8 per cent over the last year, forcing people share accommodations. NT Shelter director Toni Vine Brumley said. “It’s cheaper to pay a mortgage off than it is to rent,” she said.

Treasurer Dave Tollner said: “Darwin’s current CPI rise is equal to the rise experienced by Perth and only slightly ahead of Melbourne and Brisbane’s 3.2 per cent rise.

Comments on this story

Greg of Karama of Karama Posted at 10:22 AM August 20, 2014

At least we poor don't need petrol. That's one of the best things about being a poor person, I am ecologically friendly by my complete and utter lack of the need for petrol. I feel it helps me stay in touch with the "real" world, no petrol for me cause I'm poor and have no dependence on hydrocarbons. I'll leave using petrol to the rich, I know it hurts them so badly using the stuff and I feel very very sorry for them. Maybe the government can up my taxes and drop the rich peoples taxes, so the rich people can get cheaper petrol. Lets all pull together on this one, but not quite as hard as Joe pulls.

robyn from darwin of darwin Posted at 7:07 AM August 20, 2014

To me Darwin is the same cost as living in Sydney absolutely no different. buses are cheaper, yes petrol is more expensive but the distances we have to travel is a lot less.
if you whingers noticed that rents are the same if not more expensive in Sydney. house prices are the same as Sydney and my wages are the same as Sydney. the weather here far outweights its southern counterparts. Its really a no brainer to me.

Vitriol of Darwin Posted at 10:11 PM August 19, 2014

2 thing raise the cost of living.
1. The state governments pay for everything from a taxi for a mental health patient to get to an appointment to a police officers house. There are too many incentives to have a job or do something and it's costing people money.
2. Greed. Period.